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September 6, 2008

Sequoyah blanks Verdigris

TERRELL LESTER

Sports Editor



Over the last three years, while piling up the best record in Rogers County, the Sequoyah Eagles were unable to come up with a shutout till the season was virtually finished.

Friday night, the Eagles kicked off their high school football season with a shutout.

With junior quarterback Cody Richardson running for three touchdowns and the defense cashing in on big plays, the Eagles collared the Verdigris Cardinals, 28-0, at Sequoyah.

It was the Eagles’ third straight season-opening victory over the Cardinals and the win served to substantiate their Class 3A No. 5 ranking by The Associated Press.

The Eagles, who have won 30 games while losing but six in the last three seasons, had takeaways in every quarter against the Cardinals.

Barrett Smith recovered a fumble in the first period, Michael Wangsgard scored an interception in the second, Sam Radley and Cale Eidson picked up fumbled kickoffs in the third, and Cody Greer came up with an interception near the goal line on the last play of the game to preserve the shutout.

Verdigris matched the Eagles’ total of takeaways, but the Cardinals could not contain the breakaway running of juniors Richardson and Eidson.

Seth Cavanaugh intercepted Richardson twice in the first half and recovered a fumble in the third. Teammate Kyle Parnell added a third interception and Ryan Moss recovered a Sequoyah fumble.

Eidson (142 yards) and Richardson (80 yards) amassed 222 yards on the ground.

Richardson took the opening kickoff 49 yards to set the stage for a 46-yard touchdown drive, and ran 40 yards for a fourth quarter TD.

Eidson’s longest run was a 64-yarder in the third. Although Richardson eventually scored to cap the series, Eidson carried to the four before being pulled down from behind by the never-give-up effort of Kevin Stout.

Eidson also had runs of 13, 14 and 20 yards among his 14 carries.

The passing game that Sequoyah concentrated on during spring practice never materialized. Richardson attempted six passes in the first half and one more in the third quarter, but could not make a connection. A couple were dropped, and three were intercepted.

But the Eagles did not need an aerial game. They seldom do. Coach Jody Iams’ Eagles, after all, are a Wing-T team with a penchant for running.

And Richardson ran his offense behind a line kept fresh through a number of substitutions and platooning.

Verdigris had lost openers to Sequoyah, 48-6 and 42-27, the last two seasons. But this time around, the Cardinals could not sustain a drive long enough to mount a serious threat.

The Cardinals ran 10 plays in the first quarter, punted twice and lost a fumble.

In the second, their deepest drive reached the Sequoyah 29, but time ran out. And, that push was aided by one of Cavanaughís interceptions at the Sequoyah 37.

Verdigris crossed midfield early in the third quarter, but could not move inside the Sequoyah 42 before punting.

In the fourth, Stout carried the Cardinals on their most impressive foray of the game, moving from their 27 to the Sequoyah 27 before his final fling was intercepted near the goal.

Sequoyah came away with a rare opening-day shutout. In 2007 and 2006, the Eagles’ only shutouts came in Week 9 against Locust Grove. In 2005, they blanked Dewey in Week 10.



SEQUOYAH 28, VERDIGRIS 0

Verdigris 0 0 0 0 -- 0

Sequoyah 7 0 14 7 -- 28

Sequoyah — Wangsgard 11 run (Inman kick)

Sequoyah — Richardson 3 run (Inman kick)

Sequoyah — Richardson 1 run (Inman kick)

Sequoyah — Richardson 40 run (Inman kick)

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